Abandoned. I wanted to like this, b/c the premises were interesting, the world was interesting, but it was just SO SLOW that I felt no need to keep piAbandoned. I wanted to like this, b/c the premises were interesting, the world was interesting, but it was just SO SLOW that I felt no need to keep picking it back up. Got through about 100 pages....more

I liked -- but didn't love -- what I read of it (about 1/3 to 1/2 the book), but it had to go back to the library. I'm busy and thus reading really slI liked -- but didn't love -- what I read of it (about 1/3 to 1/2 the book), but it had to go back to the library. I'm busy and thus reading really slowly lately. ...more

Was reading this for a class I was supposed to teach but that got canceled, and seeing as a)I've read it twice before, b)it's not my favorite ShakespeWas reading this for a class I was supposed to teach but that got canceled, and seeing as a)I've read it twice before, b)it's not my favorite Shakespeare, and c)there's tons of new stuff I want to read right now, I'm pretty sure it's going to remain unfinished this go-around....more

ETA: Life's too short to read stuff that sounds like terrible fan-fic.

This has generally gotten good reviews, and I'm only about 70 pages in, but damnETA: Life's too short to read stuff that sounds like terrible fan-fic.

This has generally gotten good reviews, and I'm only about 70 pages in, but damn, right now it's only my hatred of abandoning books keeping me going. That's not entirely true; I really like the premise, but so far the execution sucks. It's self-indulgent, racist, sexist, and trying too hard. Also, I think if I have to read one more description of the main character's boobs (I'm sorry, "breasts"), I'm going to throw the book across the room.

Only got about a third of the way through, because it had to go back to the library and I've been swamped with work-related reading lately, but I realOnly got about a third of the way through, because it had to go back to the library and I've been swamped with work-related reading lately, but I really liked a lot of what I read. Even if Pinker is obnoxious (and his tone truly is), he writes about interesting stuff. ...more

Read about half, and liked it well enough -- an appropriate mockery of academia -- but I kind of think I got the point, so I don't know if I'll pick iRead about half, and liked it well enough -- an appropriate mockery of academia -- but I kind of think I got the point, so I don't know if I'll pick it back up and finish. ...more

Abandoned this one. Rather boring and suffered a lot from the narrator inserting facts about modern Krakow (the book takes place in the Middle Ages).Abandoned this one. Rather boring and suffered a lot from the narrator inserting facts about modern Krakow (the book takes place in the Middle Ages). Blah....more

I got through the first section, which was about 15th century Englishmen discovering and colonizing Atlantis. It was pretty good, but when section twoI got through the first section, which was about 15th century Englishmen discovering and colonizing Atlantis. It was pretty good, but when section two started and it was several generations later, I couldn't stay into it without the familiar characters, and then the book kept losing out to other, more interesting books I had from the library.

I don't have a huge desire to take it out again and finish it, but like I said, I enjoyed what I read (though it wasn't amazing). And I'm interested in checking out the "alternate history" genre more. ...more

Only got through about half of this. I liked learning about different sharks, but I wish it had more color photos. And I didn't really like the tone oOnly got through about half of this. I liked learning about different sharks, but I wish it had more color photos. And I didn't really like the tone of the opening chapters -- even though the author paid a lot of lip service to the idea that sharks aren't monsters, he kept using language and examples that portrayed them as such. Like he'd talk about the strength of a certain shark's jaws in terms of how easily it could rip apart a human, even if that particular kind of shark had never even attacked a human.

Still, this has motivated me to find a better, more photo-filled book on sharks. ...more

I never finished this, and it was due back at the library. It was starting to lose me, anyway. It started out really great, but then dwindled. I reallI never finished this, and it was due back at the library. It was starting to lose me, anyway. It started out really great, but then dwindled. I really liked the focus on the aging Batman's psychology, so when it shifted to consisting primarily of "witty" news reports about the morality of superheroes, I got bored and the other books on my nightstand became more appealing. Maybe later, Batman. ...more

I only got about three stories into this, actually -- not even far enough to rate it fairly. I don't know why this didn't hold my attention, b/c I thiI only got about three stories into this, actually -- not even far enough to rate it fairly. I don't know why this didn't hold my attention, b/c I think Alexie is a fantastic writer. I think maybe I attempted it at a time when I wasn't really in the mood for either short stories or really depressing stuff. I think I was also comparing it to Diary of a Part-Time Indian, and it wasn't living up to it -- partly b/c that book blew me away, and partly b/c I tend to prefer novels to short stories anyway.

This is a book I will probably come back to when I'm more in the mood, b/c like I said, Alexie is amazing. The stories I read were really good, I just wasn't in the mood. ...more

I really don't like this ridiculously symbolic Christian allegory (and it's so long!) but I have to read it for the M.A. exam. I do admire Spenser's rI really don't like this ridiculously symbolic Christian allegory (and it's so long!) but I have to read it for the M.A. exam. I do admire Spenser's rhyme skillz, though. It's written in strict form and, like I said, is really long. That's impressive, if boring to read.

ETA: I didn't do a full reread, just skimmed and Spark-noted it. Still boring. ...more

I couldn't read this whole thing, b/c it is LONG and HEAVY. But Chomsky is a brilliant, brilliant man, and this book opened my eyes to so many thingsI couldn't read this whole thing, b/c it is LONG and HEAVY. But Chomsky is a brilliant, brilliant man, and this book opened my eyes to so many things -- albeit, most of them depressing. Even though I was just reading this for pleasure, I actually took frantic notes so I could remember all the smart and insightful stuff. Yeah, he's that good....more

Was due back at the library so I gave up on it. To be honest, I wasn't really feeling it, and I don't know why. Subject is right up my alley, it has hWas due back at the library so I gave up on it. To be honest, I wasn't really feeling it, and I don't know why. Subject is right up my alley, it has high ratings, just...my interest was always half-hearted. I think part of it is that Feynman isn't a terribly compelling writer/speaker. At any rate, may try this again later. ...more

ETA: Eh, I quit this one. It was okay. Reilly has some funny moments, but he's also kind of annoyingly criI'm not sure why I'm reading this. But I am.

ETA: Eh, I quit this one. It was okay. Reilly has some funny moments, but he's also kind of annoyingly critical and contradictory -- like in one essay he makes fun of cheerleaders, and then in the next he suggests that they're a good thing. And far be it for me to criticize someone for being too critical, but really? Making fun of cheerleaders and baseball? LAME. ...more

3.5. I never finished this, and I've got mixed feelings. I absolutely loved the title essay, which was brilliant, thoughtful, and hilarious. But then3.5. I never finished this, and I've got mixed feelings. I absolutely loved the title essay, which was brilliant, thoughtful, and hilarious. But then I went back to the beginning and started the first two essays, which had their moments of amazingness, but were also really, really heavy in a way my brain did not want to handle -- especially for pleasure/summer reading -- and so I stopped, b/c I was tired of thinking so much. It's possible that I'm just kind of stupid, but I think that sometimes Wallace is too smart for his own good and not always very skilled at explaining what he's trying to get at. That second essay especially started feeling very scholarly, in the sense of "I'm just repeating stuff with slight variations b/c I have to fill up 20 pages," and that was annoying me. But seriously, the title essay was awesome....more